Strike & Counterstrike

Strike & Counterstrike Rulebook

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Components
3.0 Set-Up, the German Front Line, Hex Control
4.0 How to Win
5.0 Turn Sequence
6.0 Stacking
7.0 Reinforcements & Replacements
8.0 German Defending Force Generation
9.0 Movement
10.0 Combat
Transcription Notes

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Game Premise

Strike & Counterstrike (SCS) is a purpose-designed solitaire wargame that covers the Soviet counteroffensive against German Army Group Center (AGC) from early December 1941 to the end of April 1942. The single player actively commands the Soviet forces, while the rules system directs him in the deployment of the opposing German force. The player wins with the Soviets by seizing control of key territorial objectives. Games may also end in draws or German victories.

1.2 Rampage vs. Stalingrad Cauldron vs. Panzers East vs. SCS

All those games share the same parent system as SCS, but, even so, there are differences in their details of play. That's due mainly to the differences in the time and space scales in the individual games, as well as the fact I'm always further developing my views in regard to the best particulars for use in solitaire systems. Play each game in the system according to the specific rules presented for it.

1.3 Time & Space Scales

Each of the six turns in a full game of SCS is equal to two weeks to two months of real-world calendar time. Operatively, the slowing effect of the deteriorating winter weather and, later, the worsening ground conditions (mud) as well as other sources of "friction" that accumulated historically on both sides over the course of this massive campaign are modeled in an overarching way by having the later turns represent longer stretches of calendar time. In that way it takes you lengthening amounts of calendar time to accomplish the same amount of operations in the same amount of game time.

Each hexagon on the map represents 20 miles (32 km) from side to opposite side.

1.4 Die Roll Modifiers

In all situations, all applicable die roll modifiers are cumulative in their effects.

1.5 No Water

Most of this campaign is fought under deep freeze conditions. So, the rivers and lakes you'd otherwise find on the map are hard-frozen and therefore operatively non-existent. During the last turn, the presence of those thawing water bodies and the accompanying "sea of mud" in which they exist are accounted for by the long calendar time length of that turn.

1.6 Compass Directions & Map Edges

For all rules purposes, consider the south edge of the map to run from 1017 to 2716, inclusive. The east edge runs from 2716 to 2700, inclusive. The north edge runs from 1000 to 2700, inclusive. The west edge runs from 1000 to 1017, inclusive. Note the four "corner" hexes are therefore each simultaneously part of two map edges.

2.0 Components

2.1 Content of this Game

The components to a complete game of SCS include these rules, the map-sheet, and 208 die-cut counters (also commonly referred to as "units" and "unit-counters"). You must provide one or more standard (six-sided) dice to resolve combat and other probabilistic events that occur during play. You will also need a large-mouth opaque container such as a coffee mug or cereal bowl to serve as the German "force pool" (see section 3.0).

Note: The 20 gray-green counters in the lower left side of the counter sheet are additional counters for World at War #44, Night Fight.

2.2 The Game Map

The game map represents the militarily-significant terrain found across the Moscow region in the winter of 1941-42 when portrayed at this scale. A hexagonal (hex) grid is printed over it to regulate unit placement and movement similar to the way squares are used in chess and checkers. A unit is always in only one hex at any one instant. Each hex contains natural and/or manmade terrain features that may affect movement and combat. The map's terrain representations have been altered slightly from their exact real-world configurations in order to make them conform to the hex-grid. The terrain relationships from hex to hex are, however, accurate to the degree necessary to present you with the same space/time dilemmas faced by your real-world counterparts in the actual campaign. Each hex on the map has a unique four-digit number printed in it. They're provided to help you find specific locations referred to in the rules (for example, Moscow is in hex 2608) and to allow you to record unit positions if a match has to be interrupted and taken down before it can be completed.

2.3 Counters

Most of the counters represent combat units; others are provided as memory aids and informational markers. Carefully punch out the counters. Trimming the "dog ears" from their corners with a fingernail clipper greatly facilitates handling and stacking during play and enhances their appearance. Each combat unit-counter displays several types of information: nationality and organizational affiliation, type, combat dice rolled, step strength, and/or specific historic identifications.

2.4 Sample Soviet Unit

The Soviet First Shock Army is pictured on the rules page. It has a combat dice roll strength ("CDR" or "combat factor") of "8." On the front side of the first (left-most) counter the army is printed showing that full strength, while on the other side of the counter it's shown at a "reduced" strength of "7." That front-to-back strength reduction is carried all across the four counters that together represent this army.

(Counter illustrations: front (full strength) and back (reduced) of the Soviet First Shock Army, showing unit size, designation, historical ID, unit type, combat dice roll factor and unit facing (2.7).)

2.5 Soviet Unit Types

Most of the Soviet units are "combined arms armies."

2.6 Soviet Step Strength

All combat ground units in the game contain one or more "strength steps" (also referred to as "step strength" or simply "steps"). That's an arbitrary term used to express the ability of a unit to absorb a certain amount of combat losses before ceasing to be an effective formation (a measure of its "robustness" in US Army jargon). Those units with combat factors on only one side of their counter are "one-step" units; those with combat factors on both sides of its counter are "two-step" units. If a two-step unit suffers a step loss, it's flipped so its "reduced" side shows. If a one-step unit, or a two-stepper that had already been reduced, takes a step loss, it's removed from the map and placed into the permanent "dead pile" (if Soviet) or into one of the boxes on the Game Turn Record Track (GTRT). No unit may ever give, loan, or otherwise transfer a step to another. See section 7.0 for more details.

2.7 Recognizing Step & CDR Strengths

On the Soviet side, the way to tell a unit's step strength is to note its CDR number; the two are always equal (in other words, the Soviet CDR number is always equal to its step strength). Soviet unit-facings that represent less than full strength for that formation also have a large dot in their upper-left corners to make that fact more visually obvious. On the German side, without exception, all combat units each have only one step and a CDR of one.

Errata: The Soviet 16th Army Group (strength of "12") is printed with a white dot; it should not (simply color the dot in with a red pen).

2.8 Sides & Colors

Each unit's nationality and (among German units) their status as a "mechanized," "non-mechanized," or "security" unit, is shown by its color scheme.

Soviet unit color schemes (as printed on the rules page):

Non-Mechanized Infantry
Soviet Combined Arms Army (yellow on red)
Soviet Shock Army (yellow on red with arrow)
Cavalry
Security / Rear Area Security
Soviet First Engineer Army (red on yellow)

German unit color schemes:

Mechanized Units: white on black
Non-Mechanized Units: black on field gray
Security Units: black on Confederate gray (printed as "SEC")

Unit organizational size symbols on the counters are: XXXX (Army), XX (Division or, if bracketed, ad hoc divisional-sized battlegroup), X (Brigade), III (Regiment), XX (Ad-Hoc).

2.9 Sample German Units

All German units are "one" step. They display data differently than Soviet units.

(Counter illustrations: mechanized unit, front and back, showing unit size, unit type and unit ID.)

2.10 No Printed Movement Factors

Unlike most wargames, there are no "movement factors" (MF) printed on any of the counters. German units don't actually move across the map in the usual sense of that term, so no such factors are needed for them (see section 8.0 for more details). Soviet units all have MF of "2" on the first game turn, and a MF of "3" every turn thereafter. See section 9.0 for more details.

2.11 German Unit Types

German unit types have no operative meaning in play beyond their broad categorization into the three groupings described in 2.7. For historical interest, however, those specific types are as follows.

Mechanized: Panzer, Panzer Grenadier

2.12 Unit Organizational Sizes

Unit organizational sizes are also provided for historical interest; they have no direct bearing on play.

2.13 Abbreviations

The abbreviations on the counters are defined as follows:

1SS: 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Brigade
1E: First Engineer (Sapper) Army
GDR: Gross Deutschland
GE: Group Eberbach
GS: Group Schlemm
GU: Group Unsinger
Lehr: Demonstration
Ops E. & C.: Operations Elefant & Christophorus
P: Partisan
Rotkopf: Red Head (special ammunition)
S: Shock
SEC: Security
SS: SS Cavalry Brigade
SSDR: SS Division Das Reich

2.14 Other Counters

The following counters ("markers") are also included in the game as informational and memory aids. Their functions are explained in the relevant portions of the rules that follow.

German Front Line (back of all German units)
Panzer and Panzer Grenadier
Turn, Soviet Movement Points Remaining, Soviet Army Stop, Soviet Minor Raid, Guderian Intercedes, VIII Flieger Korps, VI Interceptor Corps, Soviet Partisan/Airborne/Cavalry Joint Operation, and Operations Elefant & Christophorus markers

(Marker illustrations are on the rules page; their functions are defined in the sections that follow.)

3.0 Set-Up, the German Front Line, Hex Control

3.1 German Front Line Markers

When preparing to play, you should first note that all German counters, including the "Raid," "Guderian," "VIII Flieger Korps," "Ops E & C," and "Rotkopf" markers are all uniformly back-printed with Iron Cross markers. Those units' and markers' Iron Cross backsides are used to delineate the front line (see below).

3.2 German Reinforcement Set Up

Next, take the German units printed with one-digit numbers in their upper-left corners and place them, face up or down (it doesn't matter) into the boxes of the GTRT on the map-sheet corresponding to those numbers. For example, the VIII Fliegerkorps marker goes into the Turn 3 (I Jan 42) box of the track. Note that seven German reinforcement units are printed on the very bottom of the Soviet half-sheet of counters. See section 7.0 for more details about reinforcements.

3.3 German Force Pool Set Up

The large-mouth opaque container mentioned in 2.1 will be used to hold the German units available for combat deployment by AGC. Other than the reinforcement units you placed into the various GTRT boxes in accordance with rule 3.2 above, randomly dump all other German units into the force pool.

3.4 Initial Front Line Marker Placement

Without looking at their front sides, randomly draw from the force pool one counter to be placed, Iron Cross side showing, into each of the 25 initial frontline hexes on the map from 1900 to 2417, inclusive. The markers are all placed generally to the west of that initial front line. For example, a marker goes into 2612 but not into 2712, and into 2413 but not into 2512.

3.5 Soviet Set Up

Begin your own (the Soviet) side's set up by putting all four counters belonging to Fourth Shock Army (4S), along with the Partisan/Airborne/Cavalry Major Raid marker, into the Turn 3 box of the Turn Track. Those are the only Soviet reinforcements. All other Soviet combat units (including 1E) begin play already deployed on the map. Make those deployments, always using the full-strength counter for each army, into the initial placement hexes marked on the map. For example, the "8" counter for the First Shock Army (1S) goes into hex 2606 (at full strength). When you've placed all the starting Shock and Combined Arms armies onto the map, place the "6" strength counter for 1E and place it atop any one of the armies you just placed in the prior step. To complete the Soviet set up, place all the substitute army counters (the ones with dots on both sides of their counters in the upper-left) into the corresponding boxes of the Soviet Armies Holding Boxes chart printed on the map-sheet. The parenthetical number indicates the strength of the full-strength parent Soviet Army. For example, the Soviet 16th Army is printed with a strength of "12", which is indicated as "(12)" in the 16th Army's holding box.

Errata: The hexes marked "1SH and 3SH" should read "1S and 3S".

3.6 Other Markers

Temporarily place off to the side, but within easy reach, the "MP," "Stop" and "VI Interceptor Corps" markers. See 10.0 for details on their uses.

3.7 German Front Line Maintenance

Every time a moving Soviet unit or stack (a "force," see 6.2) enters a hex containing a German Front Line marker, temporarily halt that force's movement, flip the marker over to show its front side, and then roll a die to generate the rest of the defending German force for that hex (see 8.0 for further details). After resolving that battle, if the attacking Soviet force has defeated the defending German force in that hex, that locale is said to have been taken control of by the Soviet side. In such cases immediately place around the battle hex, via blind draw from the force pool, the number of new markers necessary to accurately delineate the new front line. Alternatively, if the Soviet attempt to take control of the battle hex is defeated, surviving German units remain in place in the battle hex until Phase IV (see 10.1). There will likely never be any time when the German front line is broken cleanly open (but see 4.8). That is, each territorial acquisition by the Soviets simply causes the front line to be immediately redrawn, via the use of as many newly placed markers as are needed to do so. See sections 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0 for more details.

3.8 Hex Control

At the start of play, the Germans control all the hexes on the map that lie in and generally west of the line created by the placement of the Iron Cross markers. A hex's control status switches from the Germans to the Soviets as described above. Such control switching can't occur more than once (from German to Soviet) for each hex on the map (Germans have no ability to recapture a lost hex).

3.9 German Operational Limits

Note that there are never any German sorties of any kind across the front line, neither the original one printed on the map nor the current one delineated by the line of markers. Similarly, you're never required to keep any kind of "solid front" of Soviet units from hex to hex along any portion of the map. The Soviet units in the counter-mix are all armies or army-sized equivalents; we're therefore assuming there are myriads of smaller formations doing the necessary drudge work of maintaining front line security in the quieter sectors.

4.0 How to Win

4.1 In General

Victory is reckoned on the basis of the territorial gains made by the Red Army over the course of the game or, less commonly, by the player's ability to fully tear open the AGC front (see 4.8). Territorial victory is checked at three times during play, always at the end of the turn. Overall play may end in a draw, a player (Soviet) victory, or a German victory. Other than that, there are no gradations of victory; you either win, lose, or draw. Lastly, note that the conditions for each victory check are discrete, they stand alone from each other, rather than being cumulative.

4.2 End of Turn 1 (Dec I) Victory Check

At the end of this turn, check the map to see if there are still one or more German-controlled hexes immediately adjacent to Moscow or Tula. If there is/are one or more such German-controlled hexes adjacent to either or both those locales, the player has lost the game at this time. Note that there is no victory check made at the end of Turn 2.

4.3 End of Turn 3 (Jan I) Victory Check

At the end of this turn, check the map to see if the Soviets have gained control of at least 18 hexes within the 34-hex area of the map to the north and east of the "K-Line" (lying generally between hexes 1600 and 2410, inclusive). If the player hasn't met this requirement, he's lost the game at this time. Note that prior to this victory check, you're not restricted to operating Soviet units east of the K-Line; however, hexes seized outside of the defined area don't contribute to satisfying this victory check requirement.

Designer's Note: At the start of the Soviet counteroffensive, the AGC headquarters staff did a quick study of the situation and requested of Hitler that he allow the front to be brought back to that suggested K-Line. That, they believed, would've immediately allowed for the creation of a reserve of about four divisions, which, they also believed, would've been enough to stabilize the situation. Hitler dithered, though, until 14 January, by which time the Soviets were actually across the line in several places. The early game victory checks are essential for overall historicity because the Soviets at first didn't know just how large their counteroffensive was going to become. Accordingly, they began with more limited objectives. You need to match their initial planning hesitancy; otherwise, you'd actually be playing a 'what if' in which the question would be: What could've been accomplished by the Soviets had they operated more boldly from the very start of their counteroffensive?

4.4 German K-Line Withdrawal

If the Soviets meet the victory check requirement given above in 4.3, immediately (and permanently) adjust the frontline markers so that all the hexes within that sector of the map are Soviet-controlled. In that case, it is assumed that Hitler has ordered, as he did historically, a withdrawal behind the K-Line. Note, though, no hex to the west or south of the line has its control status changed on account of this. Also note that there are no further victory checks made until the end of Turn 6 (Mar-Apr 1942).

4.5 End of Game Soviet Victory

To be judged to have won the game at the end of play, the Soviets must control four or more fortified localities (per 10.13). Furthermore, they must also control any three or more hexes lying in and/or west of hex row 13xx. Those latter hexes may themselves also be fortified localities (controlled per 10.13), and thus, they may in effect, be counted twice.

4.6 End of Game Draw (Historic Outcome)

To be judged to have ended the game in a draw, the Soviets must control three fortified localities. Furthermore, they must also control at least two hexes in and/or west of hex row 13xx. Those latter hexes may themselves also be fortified localities, and thus, they may, in effect, be counted twice.

4.7 End of Game German Victory

If the player fails to fulfill the conditions for a Soviet victory or a draw, the Germans are considered to have won the game.

4.8 Soviet Sudden Death Victory

If, at any time after the start of play, the German force pool is found to be empty of counters, the game ends at that moment in a Soviet "sudden death" victory, which is awarded to him on the basis of his having cleanly broken open the AGC front.

5.0 Turn Sequence

5.1 Phases

Every turn of SCS is divided into "phases," which are then each subdivided into individual actions within each phase. You should conduct all your various actions, and complete the phases of each turn, as given in the outline below and as described in the rest of the rules that follow.

5.2 Turn Sequence Outline

I. German Reinforcement & Regrouping Phase II. Soviet Replacement & Reinforcement Phase III. Soviet Movement & Combat Phase IV. Administrative Phase

5.3 Ending a Turn

After the resolution of the current turn's Phase IV, move the Turn marker ahead one box on the GTRT and start a new turn with Phase I. All turns are identical in their overall structure, except that Phases I and II are skipped on Turn 1.

5.4 Ending Play

The game ends at the end of Turn 6, or whenever you, in your role as Soviet commander, become convinced you can no longer win and you thereby concede defeat to the Germans, whichever comes first.

5.5 Administrative Phases

Use each turn's Phase IV as "clean up" time to reset and make ready all of the forces in the game for the next turn.

6.0 Stacking

6.1 Stacking Defined

Stacking is the term used to describe the piling of more than one unit of the same side in the same hex at the same time. The stacking rules given below are in effect all through game play, in every phase of the turn sequence, from set up through to victory determination.

6.2 Soviet Stacking Limit

In general, you may not have more than one Soviet ground unit in the same hex at the same time. Note that step strength has no bearing on the stacking count. First Engineer Army (1E) is the exception (see below). Most critically, that means, except for the First Engineer Army exception, you may never have more than one Soviet unit in a hex; they may not move into or through each other's hexes.

6.3 Soviet First Engineer Army (1E)

This unit, while itself not really the elite force its organizers had hoped it to be historically, is nevertheless unique within its side's order of battle. The 1E is never alone in a hex; it is always kept stacked with a shock or combined Arms army. That stacking assignment may be changed by you during each turn's Phase IV. Between those times, the 1E must move and attack with its host army. Further, 1E may never receive replacements (see 7.0 for more details) and it must always absorb all the Soviet combat step losses in a battle before any losses are suffered by its host army (see 10.0 for more details).

6.4 German Stacking

The stacking of German units will be set by each force determination die roll, which will be made anew each time a Soviet force first enters any front line hex. See section 10.0 for more details.

6.5 Mutually Exclusive Stacking

Both sides' stacking limits are mutually exclusive. That is to say, the number of German units in a hex in no way affects the stacking limit of Soviet units in that hex, and vice versa.

7.0 Reinforcements & Replacements

7.1 Reinforcements

Reinforcements are whole new units that enter play for the first time after a game has already begun.

7.2 Soviet Ground Unit Reinforcement

There is only one Soviet ground combat (army) reinforcement unit in the counter-mix: Fourth Shock Army (4S), which enters play during Phase II of Turn 3. It enters at its full strength of 8 by being placed (at no movement point cost) in any north, south, or east Soviet-controlled map edge hex, Moscow, or Tula. It begins operating normally in all ways during that same turn's Phase III. Stacking must be taken into account when entering 4S, however.

7.3 Soviet Partisan/Airborne/Cavalry Joint Operation Marker

This counter doesn't represent a conventional ground combat unit, though it does arrive into play along with 4S. Immediately upon arrival (no delay option), choose for its placement any suitable German-controlled hex on the map, place the marker in it, and that hex is immediately and automatically converted, without combat, to a Soviet-controlled hex. Place any dislocated Front Line marker into the force pool. However, the hex chosen may not be a fortified locality, nor may the marker's placement bring about the immediate formation of a pocket (see 8.0). Once placed, the marker remains stationary until such time, if ever, that the movement of your conventional ground units links it to the main portion of Soviet-controlled territory. When/if that occurs, immediately and permanently remove the marker from play. Within the strictures above, the marker may be placed into a situation of immediate linkage.

Designer's Note: The historic "placement" of this counter, which represents the combined efforts of XI and I Guards Cavalry Corps and IV Airborne Corps, along with numerous local partisan bands, was hex 2006. Those forces were deployed in an ultimately failed attempt to aid in the isolation of the German units in what, instead of a pocket, became known as the "Rzhev Salient."

7.4 Soviet Replacements

Soviet replacements are increments of new troops and equipment, not represented by their own unit counters, which are used to rebuild reduced Soviet units on the map. There are no German replacements as such; that aspect of that side's play is handled automatically by the strictures of section 8.0. Starting with Turn 2, during Phase II, you incorporate, into your weakened shock and/or combined armies on the map, up to a grand total of 10 replacement steps (also commonly called "replacement factors") during each such phase. Each such step rebuilds one step of a previously lost strength step. No unit may be made stronger than its original full strength. The 1E unit may never receive replacements. Within those limits, selected units may receive any number of steps per turn. Further, the integration of replacement steps in no way inhibits any army's normal abilities during Phase III of that same (and subsequent) turns. Also note, no otherwise replacement-eligible Soviet army, once entirely destroyed with all its component counters off the map in the "dead pile," may ever be reclaimed from that status and brought back into play in any way at any strength. Finally, no portion of each turn's 10-step allotment may be saved or accumulated in any way; any factors not used during the turn of their availability are forfeited.

7.5 German Reinforcements

The Germans receive newly arriving reinforcement units during Phase I of Turns 3, 4 and 5. When those times arrive in play, immediately take the arriving units from their holding location on the GTRT and place them into the force pool. From there the newly arrived units operate just as any other units.

Designer's Note: All of the starting German units are divisions or separate brigades, or field-organized equivalents of those sizes of units. The overarching assumption in that regard is that pretty much all of them, by early December, had been worn down to more or less uniform nubs, averaging out to individual regimental-equivalents in combat power. Hence the uniform CDR of one for each of them, but with tactical combat power differentiated by type on the Combat Results Table. German reinforcements, though all nominally entering the theater of operations as divisions, are represented by their line-regiments. I went that way because, due to the emergency situation they were entering, that's almost universally how they were committed historically by the German high command (which then also works for the easy maintenance of the universal CDR of one).

7.6 German Regrouping

During all turns of the game, all German units eliminated in combat are immediately placed into the next turn's box on the Turn Track. When those subsequent turns' Phase I arrive, those "regrouped" German units are reentered into the force pool as if they were regularly arriving reinforcements.

Designer's Note: Historically, not a single German division was taken off the books during this campaign. Thus, even when German break-in and breakout pocket battles fail, we're assuming the hardcore cadre of those otherwise trapped units are still getting away via what would today be called "exfiltration." Remember, this is still the early-war Red Army; they are mostly incompetent.

8.0 German Defending Force Generation

8.1 German Unit Dynamics

German units don't move about the board in the manner of Soviet units (see section 9.0). Instead, each time a moving Soviet unit enters a hex containing a German Front Line marker, you must pause that movement to roll for ("roll up"), via a die roll, that place's defending force.

8.2 CDR

German Front Line markers are reverse-printed with a combat unit or a combat support operation. Every German combat unit has a CDR factor of "1." The German support operations markers (Guderian, VIII Flieger Korps, Operations Elefant & Christophorus, and Rotkopf ammunition) will enhance the combat power of any arriving regular German combat units in that battle. There are also two pro-Soviet "Raid" markers in the Front Line marker mix, representing successful tactical operations in that locale by Red Army cavalry, ski troops, and partisan formations (see 10.0).

8.3 Regular Defensive Garrison Generation

In general, when entering any German-controlled hex on the map, the formula for generating that place's defending garrison is notionally expressed as 1d6-1. That is, you roll a single six-sided die and subtract one from that rolled result to determine the number of units (zero through five) you then pull from the force pool to fight in that battle.

8.4 Threatened Pocket Formation

The exception to the above procedure occurs whenever your hex entry, were it to succeed in taking away control of that hex from the Germans, causes the formation of a "pocket." In all such cases, you must first fight off the German high command's attempt to thwart you by sending a force from outside to keep open that one-hex lifeline. In turn, a pocket is formed whenever the conversion of a hex to Soviet control would create a situation in which one or more contiguous German-controlled hexes would then be unable to trace a path of contiguous German-controlled hexes (of any length) from their location to any German-controlled hex on the west map edge. For example, the situation on the map at the start of Turn 1 is such that, were you to move a Soviet force into hex 2513, that would threaten the formation of a two-hex pocket in 2612 and 2613.

8.5 Break-In Force Generation

The procedure for generating a German break-in ("relief") force is a notionally altered form of the procedure given above in 8.3. That is, instead of 1d6-1, the formula here is 1d6, meaning nothing is subtracted from the rolled result of one through six. See 10.0 for more details on this kind of battle.

8.6 Pocket Breakout Battles

If a German relief force fails to block a Soviet pocket formation's move, immediately roll a die or dice to determine the total number of German units in the pocket that will attempt to break out (from among those in the pocket). Roll one die, using the 1d6-1 formula given above in 8.3, for each hex that makes up that pocket. Immediately resolve that German breakout attack in the hex where the control-status-switch caused the pocket to be formed. All such battles have only one half-round of combat, but all firing German units get a +1 Combat Result Table die roll bonus, and there's no return Soviet fire.

8.7 Successful Breakouts

If the German breakout attack succeeds (by eliminating the entire involved Soviet force in one round of firing) and thereby restores German-control to the hex in which you'd only moments before been threatening to create a pocket, immediately put all involved German units into the force pool (for possible further normal deployment during the rest of the game). Then resume your Soviet movement and combat.

8.8 Failed Breakouts

If the German breakout attack fails to restore German-control to the hex in which you'd only moments before threatened to create a pocket (by German failure to eliminate the entire Soviet force there), set aside all of the pocketed German units for the rest of the turn (whether they participated in the breakout or not, assuming they were within that pocket); they're out of play until the next turn's Phase I. Resume Soviet movement and combat.

8.9 Successful & Subsequent Defenses

If the German defense of a hex defeats a Soviet force attacking it (see 10.0) at the end of that battle simply leave all of the involved German units in place in that hex on the map. If that same hex comes under attack again that same phase by a fresh Soviet force, don't roll up a new relief or defense force; simply use the one already in place in that hex. During Phase IV of every turn, remove all such on-map forces from the map and place them back in the force pool.

8.10 Marker-Only Defense

It's possible that a German defense or relief force may come to only be constituted from support operation markers. In that case, put those markers into the next turn's Turn Track box (from where they'll redeploy into the force pool during that next turn's Phase I) and award control of the disputed hex to the Soviets without further ado.

9.0 Movement

9.1 A Force

The Soviet units in the various hexes across the map at the start of each of that side's Movement & Combat Phases are each termed a "force." Each such force is moved and fought one a time. Once you've begun the movement and/or combat of one Soviet force, you may not begin that of another force until you've completed the actions of that first force.

9.2 Combat-Movement Synergism

Combat is a function of movement. That is, each time a moving Soviet force enters a hex containing a German Front Line marker, combat must occur there. It costs nothing "extra" for you to launch a force into its first round of combat in a hex; if it had the movement points (MP) needed to enter that hex in terms of paying all the involved hexside and in-hex terrain costs, combat occurs. If hex entry can and does occur, combat must occur.

9.3 Battle Duration

Battles are potentially multi-round. Each round of combat after a force's first attack, however, costs that Soviet force another MF from its' per turn allotment of three.

Example: If a Soviet unit moves across two clear hexes (expending two MP) and into a third hex (a third MP) to engage in combat, only one round of battle is possible.

9.4 Exploitation

If a round of combat ends with all the involved German units having been removed from the hex, the attacking Soviet force may resume its movement (and combat), if that's what you want to do and the force has the needed remaining MF to move off in the direction you want to send it.

9.5 Stymied

If a round of battle ends with German defenders still in the hex, and you don't want to risk any more Soviet losses by pressing ahead with another round of that attack, or you want to do so but don't have the needed MF remaining to pay for it, that battle ends in a Soviet defeat. In such cases move the attacking Soviet force back into the hex from which it entered the battle hex. That force's movement and combat are over for that turn.

9.6 Movement Points Remaining

To keep track of a moving force's remaining MP, use your memory or the three lower-numbered boxes on the GTRT and the marker provided. If your involved force is out of MF and there is still one or more German units in the battle hex, that fight has likewise ended in a Soviet defeat as described above in 9.5.

9.7 Movement Dynamics

Soviet movement generally takes place from hex-to-hex within the strictures given on the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) printed on the map-sheet. No force may ever give or loan MF to another force, nor may any hexes be skipped over during movement. All movement is from hex to adjacent hex across traversable hexsides, with the moving force deducting the MF needed to pay all involved costs as it moves. No unit may ever move farther than allowed by its remaining MF, nor is any moving force guaranteed any minimum movement capability. For the exception to all this, see rule 6.3 concerning the First Engineer Army.

9.8 Stop Markers

To aid in remembering which forces have moved and which haven't, use the "Stop" markers provided in the counter-mix, placing one atop each Soviet force when it's ended its movement for the turn.

9.9 Relentless Attacks

Within the strictures of rules sections 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0, any German-controlled hex may potentially be attacked any number of times, by any number of Soviet forces, in any number of combat rounds, in each Turn's Phase III.

9.10 Terrain

All movement costs on the TEC are paid on a per-hex basis by terrain type. Each hex contains only one in-hex natural terrain type: clear or forest.

Designer's Note: Supply is operatively accounted for in the various movement and combat rules. That is, as long as you operate both sides' forces within the constraints of the generation, movement, and combat rules, they will always be "in supply," and no further or special consideration need be given to them in that regard. (If you're new to wargaming and don't know what any of that means, don't worry about it.)

10.0 Combat

10.1 Combat Procedures

After you've determined the German defensive force in the hex you're attacking, go through the steps in the exact sequence given below in order to fully resolve that battle's first round (see the Fire Precedence Table printed on the map). Note that one "hit" always equals one step loss (and vice versa) among the force receiving the hit.

Roll one die for each factor of CDR of each involved Soviet Shock Army (but only on the first round of each shock army's first attack every turn. All other times, they fire with Precedence "4)" units). These hits are immediately scored against the involved German force.
Roll one die for each involved German mechanized unit. These hits are immediately scored against the involved Soviet force.
Roll one die for each involved German non-mechanized unit. These hits are immediately scored against the involved Soviet force.
If this isn't the first round of a Soviet attack, this would be when an involved Soviet Shock Army would fire. These hits are immediately scored against the involved German force. All other involved Soviet units, other than VI Interceptor Corps, fire at this time. These hits are immediately scored against the involved German force.
All involved German security units fire at this time. These hits are immediately scored against the involved Soviet force.
Soviet VI Interceptor Corps, if involved, fires at this time. These hits are immediately scored against the involved German force.
After all those fires have been resolved, that round of combat is over.
If all the involved German units have been eliminated by Soviet fire, you have won that battle. Realign the German Front Line markers as needed to designate the new control status of the hex where the battle was just fought.
If, instead, the involved Soviet force was eliminated by German fire, or you decided to break off the battle and withdraw that force back into the hex from which it entered the disputed hex, the battle is also over but you have lost it. Surviving German units remain in place in the battle hex until Phase IV. They may potentially be attacked again that same phase by a fresh Soviet force.

10.2 German Relief Force Attacks

German Relief Force attacks are always pushed to the utmost. That is to say, a German Relief Force will always continue to attack until it, or the Soviet force against which it's engaged, is entirely eliminated. Of course, at the end of each round you have the break off and retreat option with your involved Soviet force, as described in sequence "10" above. Furthermore, all types of units in a German relief force fire in every round with a +1 (plus one) die roll modifier added to all their CRT roll results. Even further, Soviet shock armies fire in their secondary fire column on the CRT in all such combats' rounds.

10.3 Regular German Defenses

Regular German Defenses are similarly pushed to the utmost. That is, such forces will continue defending their hex, round after round, until the attacking Soviet force is eliminated or breaks off or the German force is itself eliminated, whichever occurs first.

10.4 Forests

Whenever German mechanized units are involved in a battle taking place in a forest hex, subtract one (-1) from their CRT roll result.

10.5 German Support Operations Markers

When involved in a battle, German support markers don't directly fire at Soviet units. Instead, they make their (potentially potent) presence felt by enhancing the involved German combat units' die rolls on the CRT as described below. (Also note rule 8.10.)

10.6 VIII Flieger Korps

If this air support marker is available, the effect is to add one (+1) to all the involved German ground units' die roll results on the CRT in every round of that battle. When that battle is over, put the VIIIFK counter into the next turn's holding box; it's returned to the force pool during that new turn's Phase I.

10.7 Guderian Intercedes

If this marker is available, the effect is to add one (+1) to all the involved German ground units' die roll results on the CRT in every round of that battle. When that battle is over, put the Guderian counter into the next turn's holding box; it's returned to the force pool during that new turn's Phase I. This counter doesn't affect the fire of VI Interceptor Corps.

The "XX09" printed on the Guderian counter means he can't intercede in any battle taking place in any hex in which the last two digits of its grid number are less than "09" (that's the geographic limit of his area of command). If he comes out for a battle that's not in that area, draw another counter and then immediately put Guderian back into the pool of counters.

Important: Guderian is permanently removed from play during Phase I of Turn 3 (Hitler has relieved Guderian from command).

10.8 Operations Elefant & Christophorus

If this marker is available (representing the opportunistic arrival of civilian vehicles commandeered in Germany and sent east) the effect is to add one (+1) to all the involved German ground units' die roll results on the CRT to the first round of that battle. When that battle is over, put the counter into the next turn's holding box; it's returned to the force pool during that new turn's Phase I.

Errata: The third note in the Combat Results Table should read: Whenever VIII Fliegerkorps and/or Guderian are supporting, add one to all their die rolls in all rounds of those battles.

10.9 Rotkopf (Hollow Charge) Ammunition

If this marker is available, the effect is to add one (+1) to all the involved non-security German ground units' die roll results on the CRT in every round of that battle. When that battle is over, put the counter into the next turn's holding box; it's returned to the force pool during that new turn's Phase I. This counter does not affect the fire of German security type units.

10.10 Soviet Raid

If this marker is available, the effect is to add one (+1) to all the involved Soviet ground units' die roll results on the CRT in the first round of that battle. When that first round is over, put the counter into the next turn's holding box; it's returned to the force pool during that new turn's Phase I.

10.11 Soviet VI Interceptor Corps

If this air unit is available, it fires (in lowest Precedence) one die roll against every involved German unit. Once it fires it's placed into the next turn's holding box on the GTRT until it reenters play during Phase II of the next turn. Its die rolls are never modified in any way, nor can it be used to absorb a German hit. Keep it off to the side until the battle round occurs in which you want to commit it (once per turn). It may fly and provide attack-support in this way anywhere on the map.

10.12 No Support Marker Eliminations

Neither side's support markers are ever eliminated in combat. If all of the line units of their side are eliminated, simply set aside any surviving support units.

10.13 Fortified Localities

These hexes are impregnable to direct Soviet attack. They may only be taken control of by the Soviets via successful pocket formation attacks (and even then they would have to be located within the pocket being formed rather than being the bottleneck hex that's directly attacked). In such cases, a Pocket Breakout Battle occurs normally, but these fortified locations are only taken control of after that breakout is defeated.

Designer's Note: Historically the Soviets only took three fortified localities during the entire offensive: Kaluga (2211), Sukhinichi (2012) and Yukhnov (2010).

Errata: Yukhnov is incorrectly spelled on the map.

10.14 Allocating Step Losses

Whenever you have step losses to allocate among an engaged force of either side, you're always entirely free to apportion them among those involved units as you see fit.

Exception: Soviet 1st Engineer Army (6.3).

Transcription Notes

The Combat Results Table, Terrain Effects Chart and Fire Precedence Table referred to in these rules are printed on the map-sheet and are not part of the rules text of this issue; they are not reproduced here.

Omitted from this transcription: the World at War #44 "Night Fight" errata, bonus scenario and unit purchase chart printed on the last rules pages (sections 11.1–11.4). Those rules belong to the separate Night Fight game, not to Strike & Counterstrike.